THE POWER OF GRATITUDE: BE THE BLESSING

It seems that nothing is uncomplicated during this season.  We have voted, but the results are not yet confirmed.  The number of COVID-19 infections has increased dramatically in the northern states and the debate continues about how to respond.  A vaccine has cleared another stage of the development, but it is not ready for distribution.  We may wonder what does it matter what we do, since we can control so very little? In our series, The Power of Gratitude, we turn to 2 Kings 7:3-10 which tells of a miraculous event that took place in northern Israel for the city of Samaria.  In the sermon, Be the Blessing, we understand that God sometimes uses insignificant people to accomplish great and powerful things.  God uses the despairing and desperate plan of four lepers to bring about a miracle.   Yet, it is also a witness to us.  We may feel small and insignificant, but our actions can have far more impact than we can imagine!  As you read this text, you cannot help but sense desperation being transformed into determination!  Perhaps this will be our choice during this season, will we be desperate or determined?  May you find the transforming presence of the Living God as you read 2 Kings 7:3-10: 3 Now there were four men with leprosy at the entrance of the city gate. They said to each other, “Why stay here until we die? 4 If we say, ‘We’ll go into the city’– the famine is there, and we will die. And if we stay here, we will die. So let’s go over to the camp of the Arameans and surrender. If they spare us, we live; if they kill us, then we die.” 5 At dusk they got up and went to the camp of the Arameans. When they reached the edge of the camp, no one was there, 6 for the Lord had caused the Arameans to hear the sound of chariots and horses and a great army, so that they said to one another, “Look, the king of Israel has hired the Hittite and Egyptian kings to attack us!” 7 So they got up and fled in the dusk and abandoned their tents and their horses and donkeys. They left the camp as it was and ran for their lives. 8 The men who had leprosy reached the edge of the camp, entered one of the tents and ate and drank. Then they took silver, gold and clothes, and went off and hid them. They returned and entered another tent and took some things from it and hid them also. 9 Then they said to each other, “What we’re doing is not right. This is a day of good news and we are keeping it to ourselves. If we wait until daylight, punishment will overtake us. Let’s go at once and report this to the royal palace.” 10 So they went and called out to the city gatekeepers and told them, “We went into the Aramean camp and no one was there– not a sound of anyone– only tethered horses and donkeys, and the tents left just as they were.” (NIV)